Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Partners Train CSOs, Others on Responsible Social media to Promote Peace

By-Aminata S. Kromah aminatakromah116@gmail.com

Liberia: As part of efforts to reinforce youth declaration for peace through the use of responsible Social Media to promote social cohesion and community dialogue in Liberia, the Centre Humanitarian Dialogue in collaboration with its partners has ended a two-day capacity-building workshop with Civil Societies Organization (CSOs) Media, including bloggers, influencers among others in the country. The participants were shown how to monitor social media agreements, and early warning and response systems. It also highlighted current looming threats to peace and stability in Liberia, and what can be done to mitigate those threats.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah, admonished every Liberian, CSOs, and the media to be cautious of what they put on the Social media for public consumption.

Madam Nkrumah wants influencers, Bloggers and the media to discourage fake information to promote peace.
“Peace does not just happen it must be intentional and it must be deliberate because youths should know what they are putting to the public because there are people following them and their various contents should be factual “.

She also stressed the need to protect Women as part of an effort to encourage Women’s political Participation. “I want to use this medium to urge you that when it comes to women candidates be extra careful and extra vigilant of what you put out there and hear and experience from other Countries must be the learning curve for us because we saw what happened in other neighbouring Countries”.

Also speaking, the Project Manager of the Centre Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD)Mr Emmanuel Bawoh, reminded the participants that it is the responsibility of every Liberian to build confidence in NEC as part of a process leading to a peaceful elections.

Mr. Bawoh said HD will continue to work to ensure Peaceful elections in the country, he admonished Citizens to remain peacefil ahed of the October 10 election because maintaining the peace of the nations lies within the Citizens and the security apparatus in the absence of ECOMOG and UNMIL. ”Your input recomendation, comments has given us an incite on the way forward for the next step and you will continue to hear from us and we will continue to engage you as far as consolidating national reconciliation concern, the October 10 election is going to be the first elections and it’s going to be solely mind by the security apparatus of liberia and we have to depend on us and the security apparatus to build that confidence for a peaceful elections because ECOMOG and UNMIL are no longer here, so as a private intimacy organization we are not directly involved into engaging national actors but rather use dialogue through consultation and we will continue to do so as we currently doing in the 6 counties in Liberia that supports community dialogue and reconciliation ahead of the election ”

Going forward, the UK Ambassador to Liberia Neil Brandley noted that public trust in the National Election Commission (NEC) is key to free, fair, and transparent Elections in the Country.

“Public trust is one of the key factors to a free and fair elections in every Country”.

Neil Brandley said, in the absence of public trust in the elections body, it has the ability to limit the legitimacy of the electoral outcome. He also wants Liberians to refrain from hate speech which he said can lead to a less inclusive government.” I’m calling on all Liberians to refrain from hate speech against each other because it has the propensity to lead and cause chaos within the Government “.

For their part, participants at the training lauded HD for the training. They commit to work in collaboration with the institutions to preach peace messages and discourage the use of misinformation, disinformation and hate speeches among others.